JOE GIRARDI LOST THAT GAME FOR THE YANKEES

It's been well established at this point.  The Toronto Blue Jays are full of life and showed us last night just how important their surge is.  The Yankees have the ability, but when a manager over thinks his team, he often gets stung and brings the ship down with him.  Now let me be clear; It's not Joe Girardi's fault all the time.  There are plenty of match-ups he chooses that work in our favor.

But last night, with what was considered one of the most important games of the year, and a brilliant pitching performance by Ivan Nova happening previous, he pulled Nova as part of a "freak out" moment, and chose rookie pitcher Caleb Cotham to handle the pressure of Toronto fans.  I saw the tragedy unfolding before it happened... and tweeted it:

If we lose this one, it's on Joe. I normally don't blame him, but pulling Nova was silly. This is a must win game. Nova was dominant 2nite

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) September 24, 2015

I'm right on this one ladies and gentlemen.  This was a must win situation.  I'm not sure, in the Toronto atmosphere is was important to "try" something, handing the ball to a rookie with lack of experience and expect us to hold the Jays.  Sure... make an argument that the pen is tired.  Tell me that Caleb was happy to be handed the ball in that competition... he wanted the challenge.

I say this... Caleb Cotham is not battle tested. Plain and simple.  He should have never been out there. The Blue Jays scored 1 off Cotham, and that was enough, but it didn't have to be. Why? Well, the dominoes fell after that.

Joe Girardi lost that game for the Yankees. After being down 1-0 with the Cotham decision, he pulled the hottest bat on the Yankees in Carlos Beltran. Dumb. Why? Because Beltran would have been up again. If the Yankees were to have any life, and got men on base, having Beltran come up to bat again would have been a significant match up. And guess what. It happened in the 9th.  ARod doubled, and then, when Slade Heathcott came up in Beltran's place... a strike out.

Nice work Joe.  Imagine what could have happened if Beltran was there.  We'll never know... but I put my money on an experienced, battle tested veteran in that spot any day of the week.

In the end, Andrew Bailey, another guy who should have never been out there allowed the Blue Jays to stomp on us, and the Yankees lost the most important game of their season. A chance to make ground on the red hot Blue Jays.  And so... we wake up with a loss, and unnecessary loss. Unfortunate.  Stupid.  Ridiculous.

Yankees lose. No... Yankees shut out... and Joe Girardi needs to own this one, bottom line.

Final: Blue Jays 4 - Yankees 0 




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